Control for Digital Lighting

ABSTRACT

A digitally controlled lighting system where aspects have a central media server connected to remote media servers. The connection may have separate networks for control versus media. Automatic synchronization of the contents of the media servers may be carried out.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No.14/148,364, filed Jan. 6, 2014, which was a divisional of U.S. Ser. No.11/332,843 filed Jan. 13, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,624,895 issued Jan.7, 2014, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Applications60/646,140 filed Jan. 20, 2005 and titled “Control for a digitallighting device” and 60/657,832 filed Mar. 1, 2005 and titled “Controlsfor Digital Lighting”. The disclosures of each of these priorapplications are considered part of (and are incorporated by referencein their entirety in in) the disclosure of this application.

BACKGROUND

Digital lighting has changed the paradigm of the lighting industry.Digital lighting uses a digitally-controllable device to control thelighting effect that is produced, based on an output from a controllingcomputer. The digital lighting device can therefore be, or include thefunctions of, a video projector, or a lighting projector, which canproject any kind of light, in any shape and in any color. The shape ofthe light essentially emulates an analog gobo—which is a metal stencilthat shapes the outer perimeter of the light that is projected. Thedigital lighting device can also project video and images. A specialserver for the video and images, called a “media server”, may be used toprovide the information to the digital lighting device for projection.

SUMMARY

The present application describes control concepts for use in a lightthat can project any light, shaped light or video, herein a “digitallight.”

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a basic block diagram of the overall system;

FIG. 2 shows forming a scenic display from multiple lamps; and

FIG. 3 shows a time-based control for a light;

The figures show additional aspects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The general structure and techniques, and more specific embodimentswhich can be used to effect different ways of carrying out the moregeneral goals are described herein.

A block diagram of the basic system is shown in FIG. 1.

A distributed lighting system is shown with first and second lights 101,102. It should be understood that these lights are merely exemplary, andthat any number of lights, for example between 1 and 1000 lights, couldbe controlled as part of a single show. The lights may be controlledover a common control line 104 as shown (using an industry standardprotocol such as DMX, or using any other protocol), or alternatively canbe controlled over multiple control lines. Each of the lights as shownis a digital light, and includes an associated graphics engine, butother lights may alternatively be controlled.

The digital light may control the lighting using a Texas Instrumentdigital micromirror “DMD” chip or other digital control chip. Graphicsengine 101 is shown associated with light 100, and graphics engine 103is shown associated with light 102. All of the lights and graphicengines are commonly controlled over a control line 104, by a controlassembly 99. The control assembly 99 includes a controller 110 which canbe a conventional lighting control desk such as the Production ResourceGroup™ Virtuoso™, or some other comparable lighting control device.

An aspect describes two separate networks between the control assembly99 and the lights 100, 101, 102 and remote media servers. One network104 is used for controlling the media servers 101 and lights 100. Atotally separate network 106 is used for providing content to the lights100 and media servers 101. The dual networks may prevent traffic on onenetwork from effecting the other network. More specifically, controlover the control network 104 will not be affected, no matter how muchvideo or media traffic there is on the other network 106. In one aspect,real-time video can be streamed to multiple servers over the secondnetwork 106.

The control assembly 99 may control the streaming of real-time video. Inan aspect, the control assembly may also stream the outputs, stream at areduced resolution or thumbnail version, and the like.

It may be important that the user controlling the overall light showsees exactly what is being projected by each of the lights. When thelights are projecting media, that is video or images, or anything elsethat is based on information in the media server, an aspect describedherein allows each of the media servers to return the actual informationwhich is being sent to the control module 110 and finally to bedisplayed on the user interface 109. This aspect involves each of themedia servers streaming a reduced resolution version of what they areactually playing back to the control assembly 99. The control assembly99 then controls display of a reduced resolution version. The controlnetwork 104 can also configure the outputs for resolution of the output,refresh rates, synchronization of playback, monitoring the status, anderror reporting.

The embodiment shown herein may use one or multiple back up mediaservers within the configuration. For example, a configuration with 30media servers and 30 lights may include two extra media servers forbackup in case of a malfunction of any media server. FIG. 1 shows thateach light such as 102 includes an associated media server 101. Thus,this system may include both the central media server 120, and the localmedia servers such as 101. The local media servers may have localstorage for media, and may also have a graphics engine allowing localprocessing of the media. In this configuration, there may also be backupmedia servers 121 and 122. The central control may also controlswitchover to back up any media server. The backup media server needs toinclude all the content that is associated with all of the differentmedia servers. In this way, the backup media server can be used tocontrol any of the lights and to replace any of the other media servers.

The control network 99 includes a control desk 110 with a user interface104, and is associated with a media server 120 which stores variousclips of media that can be projected by the digital lighting devices.Media can include still images, moving images, shapes, effects and/orany other media that can be displayed by the digital lighting devices.This may allow an operator to preview any of the media clips prior toselecting it.

The control line between the controller 110 and the media servers 120,101, 101 and lights may be any existing control, such as DMX orethernet. The media server 120 can also communicate with a mediaworkstation shown as 130, as well as a camera server 140 which cancommunicate with a camera 145. The media workstation and camera servercan provide additional media that is served by the media server to eachof the plurality of digital lighting devices. The camera and cameraserver can provide real-time media information, while the mediaworkstation can provide processed information.

In operation, and under control of the controller 110, any of the mediaon the central media server 120 can be served to any of the digitallighting devices 100, 102. In order to avoid a bandwidth bottleneck,content to be used at some time in the future may be stored locallywithin a digital lighting device 100, and later signaled for use.Alternatively, it is possible to provide all of the media information toall of the digital lighting devices in real-time. The controllercontrols the providing of media to the digital lighting device.

In some instances, multiple digital lighting devices may be showingeither the same or related video information. Therefore, synchronizationmay be desired between the local media servers that are associated withthe digital lighting devices. Even when the digital lighting devices arenot showing related video information, there may be advantages insynchronizing all of the frames that are produced in the graphicsengines. A genlock assembly 151 produces a global sync output, that isused for each of the local media servers 101, 103 in at least aplurality of the digital lighting devices. Not all lights need to besynchronized, but preferably at least a plurality of these digitallighting devices are synchronized. The genlock output causes each of thegraphics engines in the media servers of each of the digital lightingdevices to generate their frames at substantially the same time. Thismay improve the effect which is produced thereby.

The user interface on the control unit 109, as described above, mayinclude preview functions. These preview functions may includethumbnails of still images. However, for a video clip, the thumbnailsmay not be adequate. Accordingly, for video, the user interface may showanimated versions of the control, for example, an animated GIF or JPEGimage. Alternatively, the control system can produce preview movies, forexample a clip of reduced resolution of the actual animation. In orderto select one of the videos, it may be adequate to only play thebeginning portion of the video and the end portion of the video. Thisway, the designer can select which media clip to use. A frame near thebeginning and a frame near the end of the video can be displayed in thethumbnail window. It may be useful to select a frame that is fiveseconds spaced from the beginning and/or end, to avoid displaying theframe that may display a blank or the like. Alternatively, a frame maybe the actual first frame or last frame of the video.

In addition, the control functions on the controller enable changing amedia clip according to various controlled characteristics: includingfade, cross fade, blur, black-and-white, crop, transition, and othereffects. The animated thumbnails show animations of the differenteffects, to aid the operator in selecting one of these effects. In thisway, the server provides a graphical pallet of the controls that areincluded thereon.

Another graphical control is the 3-D model control. The media server maygenerate media and map the media to 3-D objects. For example, the mediaserver may provide color effect.

In the embodiment, the media server 101 is physically separate from thelight it controls 100. However, each stand-alone media server may beassociated with either one light or a number of lights. It iscontemplated that the software and a media server may be updatedrelatively often. In addition, hardware may become out of date. Byseparating the media server from the light, it becomes possible to allowthe media server to be easily updated. This also provides flexibility:that is any media server can be used with any light.

One aspect defines automated distribution of media to the media servers.For example, the media servers may store various kinds of media clipsfor use in being projected by the lights. Automated distribution allowsmaking a list of information that each of the media servers should have,and then distributing this information to the media servers. In thisembodiment, the media server 120 maintains a database of media at eachof the media servers here 101 and 103. In a first embodiment, a systemoperates so that each media server 101, 103 should have the same mediainformation thereon. Media server 120 includes a list of all informationthat should be present on all media servers. 101 and 103 periodicallyreport back information about their media, that is, what they actuallyhave stored in their local memories. At each predetermined time, forexample, every hour, a processor within the media server 120 comparesthe media list from each remote media server to the desired contents ofmedia servers 101, 103. If an item of media is not found on either mediaserver, then it is sent at that time.

This may facilitate sending information to the media servers. The mediaserver 120 can be updated with new media. When that happens, new mediais added to the global database associated with media server 120 at thenext refresh update. All of the media in all of the remote media serversis correspondingly updated to include that newly added media. This canbe done by waiting for the next periodic update, or by forcing a newupdate. For example, one control on the media server 120 may include an‘update now’ indication. Also, the media server can automatically forcean “update now” each time its database is changed.

In a second embodiment, moreover, each media server includes its ownindividualized list. For example, the media server 101 has a list ofmedia, including media x and media y. The media server 103 has a listincluding media x and media 2. The media server 120 periodicallyreceives a list of media from the media servers indicating what mediathey actually have, and compares it with its own internal list. Thatway, if media server 101 needs to receive media 1, it can be added tothe internal list in media server 120, and then automatically sent tomedia server 101.

The internal lists which are maintained on the media server may be inXML format, and may include metadata that describes the content of themedia.

In addition, a control network may be used which configures the contentfor the multiple media servers. Each of the media servers may includethe same media content or different media content. However, according toan aspect described herein, that media can be added and removed. Whensomething is added, its association can be specified. For example, theassociation can be designated as being associated with multipledifferent media servers, or only one media server. In the alternativeembodiment, all media on any media server or on the controller isautomatically distributed to all the media servers in the system. Thismay use the separate network 106.

Since the digital lighting device may provide different kinds of digitalmedia, one possible use for that media is for tiling. For example, avideo or image may be formed from four separate lights, each of whichshows ¼ of the image in a specified location. The overall effect can beobtained by tiling the four image portions together.

One aspect allows preprocessing the image to an open GL compressedformat and sending that compressed format to the video card in eitherthe light 100 or the media server 101 that actually will display theinformation. This uses less bandwidth than other video formats, andallows the card to operate more effectively. In addition, a “shader” mayoperate in the video card to implement certain effects. This allowscertain parts of the processing to be offloaded to the video card, andalso allows processing in a venue that may be optimized for pixel and/orvertex operations. The term shader herein is used to describe a shaderwhich complies with any of the shader standards such as 2.0 or 3.0, andmay include a pixel shader and/or a vertex shader.

In the embodiment, the shader is used for image processing in a digitallight. That is, the shader is used for image processing of a type whichcan output video, or light, or shaped light, and where the video can beoutput with an outer shape that has been adjusted by image processingwhich may include the shader.

The shader may be used to implement a cross fade of a special type, aswell as other effects described herein.

A brightness cross fade is described where the brightest part of the newimage comes in first, and the least bright comes in last. Thisbrightness cross fade may be implemented in either the shader or innormal image processing software.

Other effects are also described. Each of these effects can beimplemented in a shader or in conventional software. A color-specificgrayscale forms a grayscale of everything in the image, except forspecified colors. This provides an effect where only a color, such asred, is seen as red. Everything else is changed to grayscale. A colorrange can also be defined so that a certain range of colors is affectedin this way. The system can also do the opposite—that is grayscale onlyone color or only one range of colors.

A blur effect in only a specified area, or in all but a specified areamay be carried out. Areas other than the specified area are eithermaintained in focus, or made to become out of focus.

Another effect is grid system that lays a grid over the image, andcauses random shifting of the elements of the grid. This looks like areflection from glass blocks with grid-ed areas.

A cartoon effect reduces the color set to a minimum set of colors, andalso detects edges in the image and draws dark lines around the edges.

An alternative edge detection system draws an edge around the image andrenders transparent everything other than the edge.

Another aspect describes using 3-D objects to morph, where the morphingfades from one 3-D object to the other 3-D object.

Another image processing effect is a black-and-white conversion in whichan intensity level is set. Everything less bright than that intensitylevel shows up as white. Everything less bright than that intensitylevel shows up as black. This may also be used with grayscale.

A special kind of cross fader is also described, which takes pixels fromeach of two images. The combination is done such that there is X % fromimage pixel 1 and Y % from image pixel 2.

Another aspect describes wiping from one image to another. This is across fade across the screen, where the wiper controls the movementacross. The cross fade may occur from the top right corner down, or mayoccur from left to right or a right to left. Other aspects include crossfades that go through black or white. That is, the image goes from imageone, through to black or white, and then back to image 2.

The shader may also be used for zoom in or zoom out. This is done by across fading shader to a smaller version of the texture. Another warpingaspect works the entire image into a circle or a spiral image, and thenunwraps it.

FIG. 2 shows how four lights 200, 210, 220 and 230 can produce anoverall media presentation from four separate projections. The overallvideo sequence is shown as 250, but is really a combination of the fourdifferent portions created by the four different digital lightingdevices. The northwest quadrant of the image 250, image portion 251 isformed by light 200. The Southwest portion 252 is formed by light 210,the southeast portion 253 is formed by light 220, and the Northeastportion 254 is formed by light 230. Therefore, the overall image isformed from four different digital lighting devices. This forms a numberof edges between the different image portions. The control of the lights200, 210, 220, 230 includes edge blending effects. For example, the edge261 of the quadrant 251 may be blended with the edge 262 of the quadrant254.

Multiple different kinds of media servers may be used, and each mediaserver may be programmed to understand how to produce a tiled image.According to one aspect, multiple different kinds of media servers maybe mixed to form a tiled image from the multiple different kinds ofmedia servers.

The controller runs a routine which simulates in three-dimensional spacethe way that the image will look when projected from four different XYZlocations in space. For example, the image 251 is projected from the XYZlocation 201 of light 200. However, the image 254 is projected from adifferent XYZ location 231 of the light 230. According to this aspect,the image projection is simulated based on the XYZ locations in space,also based on the zoom of each projector, and the effect is simulated.Different aspects of the effect can be varied, including the edgeblending, to improve the way the light looks.

The media server can also carry out various image and video processingoperations. For example, the media server can play back a video clip indifferent ways. The media server may use a digital signal processor tocreate and manipulate three-dimensional objects. In addition, imageprocessing of the video clip can be carried out in order to vary thevideo clip in a way that allows it to be projected onto a specifiedsurface and/or from a specified angle. Different lighting of objectswithin the video clip can also be manipulated. For example, this may useconventionally available software such as Maya™ to make and manipulatethree-dimensional scene.

Another aspect is correcting the projection to have a proper aspectratio for the surface on which the image has been projected. This isused for automatic keystoning. According to an aspect, the media serverautomatically knows where it is in 3-D space. From this, a target iscalculated. For example if a specific 3-D target is indicated, then thelight can automatically go to its current position from its 3-D spatiallocation to point at that position. By knowing the 3-D information, thelight can also calculate information about the angle from which it willreceive the keystone. For example, the aspect ratio can be modified tochange the angle of this keystoning. In addition to the above, the mediaserver needs to know the light being controlled is located and what theedges of the other images look like. A special falloff for the edges ofeach image are made to overlap them with the other edges from the otherlights.

Real-time information may be used by the media server. For example, asdescribed above, the media server may obtain real-time information fromthe camera server, which may be indicative of lighting effects and otherinformation. In addition, the real-time information may be used forthree-dimensional visualization. When selecting an effect,three-dimensional visualization software may be used to assist thelighting designer in visualizing the actual scene that would be createdby the effect or effects being selected.

The media server may also be used for frame blending. In the videosequence, the video is intended to be displayed at a specified rate. Ifthe frames are slowed down, they often look jerky. The media serverherein includes a frame blending process, in which each frame crossfades to the next frame. At each of a plurality of times, the systemobtains a percentage of the old frame and a percentage of the new frame.Over time, the two frames are cross faded therebetween, so that onefades out while the other fades in. This avoids jerkiness between theframes. This effect can be used with slowed video, or with normal speedvideo.

The controller for the media server may use a conventional controllerwhich allows selecting each of a plurality of effects, and controllingwhen those effects are applied. Another aspect of this system, however,is the recognition that control of the media server and specifically adigital media server using a conventional lighting desk does not takeinto account the realities of a digital light.

A media controller is described herein which includes timeline orientedcontrol of different media information. The media controller as a numberof controls, as shown in FIG. 3. Each control, such as 300, enablesbrowsing all of the different media and effects as described above. Thecontrol 300 includes an associated screen 302, or alternatively, thesingle screen 302 can be used for each of the different controller's300, 305, 310. In the embodiment, for example, there may be 10 differentcontroller parts. Each controller part is associated with a specifiedtime, which may be labeled specifically as t1 in 304, or may be labeledas a specific absolute time, such as 4 seconds. Each differentcontroller may include a keyboard, or other data entry device. Thecontrol of any of the different media can be controlled at any of thedifferent times. In addition, at each time, a specified effect that isprestored can be called up and used.

Clips may be added and dropped on the timeline, and then synced with theshow and its timing. The server can be used to figure out how long theclip will actually be, or alternatively how one of the clips should be.The clip is played at its set time slot.

The images themselves may be stored as thumbnails within libraries. Thedesk or console includes a list of libraries, organized by theirspecific type; for example clouds, water, or fire. Each library can beaccessed to provide a reduced resolution version showing the clips whichform the library.

The console also includes a list of the media that the console thinksthe media server has. This may be based on the report file from themedia server, discussed above. The console can also “order” a mediaclip, and view the clip. The console also includes reduced resolutionversions which are synchronized with the real versions of the mediaclip, so that controls and graphics from the media server itself can bedisplayed as a thumbnail. For example, when the media server is displaysimage X, there may be an associated thumbnail called thumbnail Xc. Thatthumbnail X.sub.c may be sent back to the main controller, indicating tothe central server that media X is being played. This provides anunambiguous without having to send back the entire image of media acts.Each of the controls on each of the media servers include reducedresolution versions, and this includes not only images, but alsoeffects, transitions, and the like.

Another aspect describes use of a wireless low-power network, such asZigBee. This low-power network forms a mesh of remote sensors. Accordingto this aspect, the lights and/or media servers and/or controllersinclude two different sets of network operation capability. The normalnetwork operation, over a wired network 104,106, is carried out in realtime. However, in addition, there is a battery powered wireless lowpower mesh network 167, which can be used for initial set up before thepower is initially applied. These low-power network devices such as 166may be battery-operated. It allows setting addresses and other kinds ofinitial control into the light prior to the wiring. During wiring of theshow, the designer is often forced to wait, since there is no power andno wiring. This system allows the lights to be unpacked, and immediatelyestablish the network prior to wiring.

Another aspect of this system is that the lights are allowed tocommunicate node to node. This may be used for tiling andsynchronization, where the lights may communicate synchronization andother communication information directly one to each other.

A rendered 3-D image may also be controlled across multiple serversusing a mesh type network, either high power or low-power.

Another aspect relates to licensing of the media in the media servers.The media itself may be stored with keyed information, where a key isrequired on the machine before the media will actually play. This may beused, for example, in the case of custom media, to allow an author tohave access exclusively to their own devices. The media will only playon a specified machine if the key is provided. Therefore, the use ofkeyed media within a digital light which plays video and projects light,and also allow shaping of light is provided. This system may use, forexample, a QuickTime plug-in for this purpose.

Virtual scenery takes cognizance of the problem that there is limitedroom for scenery on any stage, especially in a Broadway show typeproduction. The users must build the scenery and also move it in and outwhen there is only very limited space for such scenery. The presentsystem describes projection of virtual scenery. One problem is that theprojections are two-dimensional. According to this system, basicgeometric shapes are used. A projection onto the shape is made. Theprojection is warped to track the system into projecting in 3-D.

Conventional 3-D modeling software is used in this system. First, aprojection onto a 3-D image is made. A simulated camera is located inthe simulation, near the projector. The camera sees the image of how theprojection looks on the 3-D shape. An inverse of the way the item looksis used to distort the image to form the real protection, but thissystem provides very realistic effects. The real projectors must be usedto places where they can avoid the actors interfering with theprojection, but this system provides very realistic effects.

Usually when controlling an LED light there is no intensity control, butrather only control of RGB. The problem is that the consoles often usean intensity control. Accordingly, when controlling an LED light, therelative brightness of the coolers is set so that the intensity reducesthem by 50%. The records from the intensity control is used as theintensity.

Another aspect describes cooling in a lighting fixture. These lightingfixtures are often used in stage environment, where extra light out ofthe fixture itself, could be very distracting to the audience. It may bedesirable to put holes in the fixture in order to allow air circulation.However, light output from these holes would be highly undesirable.Accordingly, baffles and serpentine paths are often used. Anotheraspect, described herein, describes using a special kind of foam forrestricting light but allowing airflow. An aluminum foam allows airflowbetween inputs and outputs, without allowing light flow. A 1″ thick matof this aluminum foam can be used for restricting light output whileallowing airflow.

Another aspect relates to the control of gobo-ing in such a system. In adigital light, the outer shape of the light which is projected may becontrolled. One aspect describes using the data indicative of what partsof the image are light and what parts are not light to set the positionof framing shutters which frame out the edges of the image which are notbeing projected. This may be used since even a small image, whenprojected using the DMD, will have some portions which are overlybright. The framing shutter is located at the image point of the lensafter the DMD, and a shutter and iris may also be used alternatively onthe translation stage at the image plane. By processing the gobo whichis currently being used, the system may contract, automatically, thesize to which the framing shutter etc. should be set. After noting thatdetection, the framing shutter size is automatically detected, andconverted into information for the framing shutter. The framing shutteris then used to blot out the portions of the projection other than wherethe desired light shape is located.

Other embodiments are contemplated, and the disclosure is intended toencompass all embodiments and modifications which might be predictablebased on the disclosed subject matter. Also, only those claims which usethe words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112,sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification areintended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations areexpressly included in the claims.

Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above,other embodiments are possible and the inventor(s) intend these to beencompassed within this specification. The specification describesspecific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may beaccomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to beexemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification oralternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skillin the art. For example, while this describes control of a DMD baseddigital light, other kinds of digital lights may be analogouslycontrollable.

The computers and processors described herein may be any kind ofcomputer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer suchas a workstation. The computer may be a Pentium class computer, runningWindows XP or Linux, or may be a Macintosh computer. The programs may bewritten in C, or Java, or any other programming language. The programsmay be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. thecomputer hard drive, a removable disk or other removable medium. Theprograms may also be run over a network, for example, with a server orother machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows thelocal machine to carry out the operations described herein.

Also, the inventor(s) intend that only those claims which use the words“means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixthparagraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intendedto be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expresslyincluded in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A media storing device, comprising: A centralmedia server, storing a central database of media information; Saidcentral media server communicating to each of a plurality of local mediaservers, over a network connection which connects between said centralmedia server and each of said local media servers, said central mediaserver receiving, from each of said local media servers, a list ofinformation which is actually stored on said local media server; Saidcentral media server accessing a list of media information that is insaid central media server, that should be located in each of said localmedia servers, for comparing contents of said list with contents of whatis actually stored in each of said local media servers; and Said centralmedia server sending information to said local media servers that causeseach of said local media servers to store all information indicated onsaid list of information.
 2. The device as in claim 1, wherein saidcentral media server controls adding new media to said central mediaserver, and after adding said new media, automatically updates media ineach of said local media servers to include said new media.
 2. Thedevice as in claim 1, wherein said central media server controls addingnew media to said central media server along with an association forsaid new media, where said association indicates which of said localmedia servers should receive said new media, and after adding said newmedia, automatically updates media in each of said local media serversspecified by said association to include said new media, and does notautomatically update media in each of said local media servers notspecified by said association to include said new media.
 3. The deviceas in claim 1, wherein said communicating comprising over a firstnetwork connection to send said media, and communicating over a secondlocal network connection to control said local media servers, separatefrom said first local network connection which is used to deliver mediacontent.
 4. The device as in claim 1, wherein said list of informationincludes information which is common for all of the media servers. 5.The device as in claim 1, further comprising controlling a genlockdevice, connected to both of said first and second lighting devices, andsynchronizing said first and second lighting devices, such that aspecified first frame in said at least one media item is displayed atsubstantially the same time as a second frame in the second media item.6. The device as in claim 1, wherein said list of information includesseparate information for each of the local media servers, wherein atleast one of the local media servers includes different information thanat least one other of the media servers.
 7. The device as in claim 1,wherein said list is in XML format and includes metadata that describesthe content of media.
 8. The device as in claim 1, wherein said listincludes identifiers for the items of media clips and metadata thatdescribes the content of the media clips.
 9. The device as in claim 1,wherein items in the list include information about which of multiplelocal media servers should store said item of information.
 10. Thedevice as in claim 1, wherein said information includes information in alocal graphics format that is understood by a video card that actuallydoes the display.
 11. The device as in claim 10, further comprisingcontrolling processing of the information within the video card, using ashader within the video card.
 12. A method, comprising: storing acentral database of media information in a central media server;communicating from said central media server to each of a plurality oflocal media servers, over a network connection which connects betweensaid central media server and each of said local media servers, wheresaid communicating includes receiving, from each of said local mediaservers, a list of information which is actually stored on said localmedia server; using a computer in said central database for accessing alist of media information that is in said central media server, thatshould be located in each of said local media servers, and for comparingcontents of said list with contents of what is actually stored in eachof said local media servers; and sending information to said local mediaservers that causes each of said local media servers to store allinformation indicated on said list of information.
 13. The method as inclaim 12, further comprising adding new media to said central mediaserver, and automatically updating media in each of said local mediaservers to include said new media.
 14. The method as in claim 12,further comprising adding new media to said central media server alongwith an association for said new media, where said association indicateswhich of said local media servers should receive said new media, andautomatically updating media in each of said local media serversspecified by said association to include said new media, and notautomatically updating media in each of said local media servers notspecified by said association to include said new media.
 15. The methodas in claim 12, further comprising using a genlock device, connected toboth of said first and second lighting devices, and synchronizing saidfirst and second lighting devices, such that a specified first frame insaid at least one media item is displayed at substantially the same timeas a second frame in the second media item.
 16. The method as in claim12, wherein said communicating comprising using a first networkconnection to send said media, and using a second local networkconnection to control said local media servers, separate from said firstlocal network connection which is used to deliver media content.
 17. Themethod as in claim 13, further comprising forcing an immediate update ofcontent in the local media servers, which automatically and immediatelyupdates the information on the list.
 18. The method as in claim 12,wherein said list is in XML format and includes metadata that describesthe content of media.
 19. The method as in claim 12, wherein said listincludes identifiers for the items of media clips and metadata thatdescribes the content of the media clips.
 20. The method as in claim 8,wherein said information includes information in a local graphics formatthat is understood by a video card that actually does the display. 21.The method as in claim 20, further comprising enabling processing of theinformation within the video card, using a shader within the video card.